Senate Bill No. 524

(By Senators Prezioso, Sypolt and Blair)

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[Introduced February 19, 2015; referred to the Committee on Education.]

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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §18B-14-2, relating to transfer of course credit among higher education institutions; and requiring all state higher education institutions award credit to transfer students for similar courses completed at different institution.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

            That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §18B-14-2, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 14. MISCELLANEOUS.

§18B-14-2. Transfer of credit for courses completed.

            (a) This section may be known and shall be cited as the "Higher Education Opportunity Improvement Act".

            (b) The Legislature finds that:

            (1) The state has an increasing need for individuals with a post-secondary credential or degree;

            (2) A growing number of hard-working individuals find community and technical colleges to be a more affordable option to start their college career; and

            (3) The state can help students become successful by implementing a seamless education system and uniform transfer of credits with special attention to transfers between community and technical colleges and four-year institutions.

            (c) Effective immediately, a public or private institution of higher education in this state shall award credit to a student transferring to the institution for a course successfully completed at a different institution of higher education, if the curriculum of that course includes seventy percent of the curriculum of a similar course at the receiving institution.

            NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require that all higher education institutions in the state award credit to transfer students for similar courses completed at a different institution.

            This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.